Charlize Theron returns to WhizzKids United

In our last newsletter we told you about the world famous actress and philanthropist Charlize Theron coming to visit the Health Academy in late August. Until now we couldn’t show you any footage of the visit, but here it is: the first photo of Charlize and her team at the Health Academy!

When she came in 2013 all she got to see a busy construction site for our Football for Hope Centre. But this time around the Health Academy and Football for Hope Centre were in full swing and we had the opportunity to show the entire delegation the complexity of WhizzKids United’s approach in the Edendale community.

When Charlize arrived with her programme team and several stakeholders, they received a warm welcome and introduction by WKU CEO Marcus McGilvray. Afterwards the delegation was split into two smaller groups to learn more about the various programmes that are run by WhizzKids United.

From a tour through the Health Academy with chats to our admin team, counsellors, nurses and doctor to life skills from our On the Ball team, the group was given real insight into the work of WKU. The day was crowned with a speed dating session with our Game Changers. That certainly came unexpected for Charlize and her team, but proved to be an easy and amusing way to get to know lots about the programme in a very short period of time.

The feedback we received after the day was overwhelming. A huge thanks to the whole WKU team who contributed to the event, without them we wouldn’t have managed to demonstrate all wonderful aspects of WhizzKids United.

Charlize Theron has been funding WhizzKids United through her Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP) for several years. This year CTAOP is contributing significantly towards our operational costs and the Game Changers project. It is great to see that Charlize Theron takes time out of her busy schedule to visit the programmes she supports and learns directly what difference her support makes.